Blayney will hinge its hopes of an improved Group 10 campaign on the shoulders of a veteran pivot and one of the best young forwards in the game in 2019. Steve Lane has linked with the club ahead of the Bears' season opener against defending premiers Bathurst Panthers while Blayney junior Joey Hobby will prop up Ben McKenna's premier league pack this winter after a stint with Penrith in the lower grades last year. The 19-year-old forward is the face of a growing sloth of Bear cubs the new Blayney coach says he hopes to help foster through into the top grade in the coming years. McKenna says having Lane on deck for his second stint with the club will help ensure that transition is a smooth one. LISTEN: Hear from Blayney Bears pair Ben McKenna and Ben Pettit ahead of the 2019 Group 10 season: "He's just a real, good old head at the club," the 37-year-old said of his new halfback. "He's been great for the young fellas. He talks to them really well." McKenna said he's determined to help get Blayney back on course, after two seasons where the club won just two senior grade games. "My goal is to win every game, like every coach. You hate losing. It's no good, a terrible feeling. But we still have to rebuild at the same time," he added. "We've got a few good old players and some great young guys too. Slowly it's happening and happening. "We'll be positive and have a good year, a real good year." Blayney's season proper kicks off two weeks earlier than the rest of Group 10 after Panthers proposed to bring their round one clash forward to March 30 to act as the curtain-raiser for the Penrith-Melbourne Storm NRL game at Carrington Park. The Bears agreed, naturally, the clash will be played in front of a couple of thousand people after all, and McKenna says he can't wait for the test. "Defending premiers ... I don't mind that," McKenna said. The old front-rower won top grade premierships with Orange CYMS in 2010 and 2011, and knows how hard it is to go back-to-back. "When you win the grand final teams always come up hard against you. Everyone will want a crack at Panthers and we're the first team to get it," he continued. "They'll be hard to beat, Panthers." Bathurst Panthers takes on Blayney Bears on Saturday, March 30. The rest of the Group 10 competition will begin on April 13.

Blayney Bears sign veteran pivot Steve Lane for 2019 Group 10 season

BACK AS A BEAR: Steve Lane helped Blayney to its last finals appearance and he's back in maroon and white after a couple of years coaching in the Woodbridge Cup. Photo: PHIL BLATCH

Blayney will hinge its hopes of an improved Group 10 campaign on the shoulders of a veteran pivot and one of the best young forwards in the game in 2019.

Steve Lane has linked with the club ahead of the Bears' season opener against defending premiers Bathurst Panthers while Blayney junior Joey Hobby will prop up Ben McKenna's premier league pack this winter after a stint with Penrith in the lower grades last year.

The 19-year-old forward is the face of a growing sloth of Bear cubs the new Blayney coach says he hopes to help foster through into the top grade in the coming years.

McKenna says having Lane on deck for his second stint with the club will help ensure that transition is a smooth one.

"He's just a real, good old head at the club," the 37-year-old said of his new halfback.

"He's been great for the young fellas. He talks to them really well."

McKenna said he's determined to help get Blayney back on course, after two seasons where the club won just two senior grade games.

"My goal is to win every game, like every coach. You hate losing. It's no good, a terrible feeling. But we still have to rebuild at the same time," he added.

We'll be positive and have a good year, a real good year.

Blayney coach Ben McKenna.

"We've got a few good old players and some great young guys too. Slowly it's happening and happening.

"We'll be positive and have a good year, a real good year."

Blayney's season proper kicks off two weeks earlier than the rest of Group 10 after Panthers proposed to bring their round one clash forward to March 30 to act as the curtain-raiser for the Penrith-Melbourne Storm NRL game at Carrington Park.

The Bears agreed, naturally, the clash will be played in front of a couple of thousand people after all, and McKenna says he can't wait for the test.

BURSTING THROUGH: Bears young gun Joey Hobby will make the step up to premier league in 2019. Photo: NICK McGRATH

"Defending premiers ... I don't mind that," McKenna said.

The old front-rower won top grade premierships with Orange CYMS in 2010 and 2011, and knows how hard it is to go back-to-back.

"When you win the grand final teams always come up hard against you. Everyone will want a crack at Panthers and we're the first team to get it," he continued.